The present invention relates generally to configurations for interleaved folded paper towel products dispensed from sheet towel dispensers.
Various fold configurations are well known for use in the sanitary sheet products (i.e., paper towels, tissues, napkins, etc.) art. In general, different fold configurations have been utilized to reduce dimensions of the dispensed products and/or to facilitate the dispensing process. Known fold configurations include basic C-fold, V-fold, Z-fold, and numerous other configurations which may generally be referred to as xe2x80x9cfolded towels.xe2x80x9d
Typically, folded sheet towel products of the type dispensed in lavatories are stacked and banded together as a package for shipment and storage. For use, the stacked sheets are loaded into an appropriate dispenser. Often, due to the nature of the particular fold configuration, the stack of towels must be loaded with a specific orientation for proper grasping and dispensing by a subsequent user.
A primary and ongoing concern in the industry is to provide the user with a fold configuration that promotes efficient and non-wasteful dispensing of the towels.
One problem encountered with dispensing paper towels of conventional fold configurations is that the towels are typically folded and dispensed in a two-ply configuration that is not particularly amenable to being unfolded by the user into a larger single-ply sheet. The users are not likely to unfold the towel and perceive that the relatively xe2x80x9csmallxe2x80x9d folded towel is not large enough to adequately dry their hands. After using one towel, the user will typically pull another towel to finish the drying process. This results is significant waste. Typically, a single towel in its single-ply unfolded state is more than adequate for drying the user""s hands.
The present invention provides an improved fold configuration for stacked towel products and addresses the problem noted above with conventional fold configurations.
Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In accordance with the invention, a stack of interleaved towels is provided with each individual towel having a unique fold configuration that enhances a user""s ability to unfold the towel upon withdrawing the towel from a dispenser. Each towel is formed of a single sheet of material, typically a single-ply material. The towels according to the invention are not limited to any particular type of material and may be formed of any absorbent material for use as a towel, wiper, napkin, or other stacked absorbent product. The sheet material may be, for example, a non-woven, natural, or synthetic fiber material.
The single sheet of material is folded along a first fold line that is offset from a center line of the sheet to generate a two-ply folded sheet having a long side and a short side. In other words, the single sheet of material is not folded in half to produce two equal length sides, but is folded to produce sides of unequal length. A second fold is made in the folded two-ply sheet that is substantially parallel to the first fold. This results in a lead flap and a trailing flap. The lead flap is defined between the first fold and the second fold and presents a continuous folded leading edge along the first fold line for grasping by a user to withdraw the towel from a dispenser. The user thus is able to grasp a two-ply portion of the towel. The trailing flap is defined by the second fold and includes the long side and short side. Thus, the trailing flap is also a two-ply arrangement along a substantial portion thereof. The trailing flap is a single-ply where the long side extends beyond the short side.
In the stacked configuration of the towels, the trailing flap of each individual towel is disposed between lead flaps of the next two adjacent towels in an arrangement so that the short side of the trailing flap is disposed facing upwards upon a user grasping the lead flap and pulling the towel from a dispenser. Thus, when the individual towel is oriented in the stack so that the second fold is away from a dispensing side of the stack and the trailing flap and lead flap open towards a front or dispensing side of the stack, the short side of the trailing flap is adjacent to the lead flap. In the oppositely oriented towels wherein the second fold is positioned at the dispensing side of the stack and the trailing flap and lead flap open in the opposite direction, the long side of the trailing flap is adjacent to the lead flap. With this configuration, the short side of the trailing flap will always be facing upwards subsequent to a user pulling the lead flap of the towel to remove the towel from a dispenser. The short side of the trailing flap will be readily visible to the user and the length differential between the long side and the short side of the trailing flap presents to the user a xe2x80x9ctabxe2x80x9d to grasp and invites the user to unfold the towel into a larger single-ply sheet.
In one embodiment of the folded interleaved towels, the lead flap is shorter than the long side of the trailing flap. In this embodiment, the short side of the trailing flap may have about the same length as the lead flap.
Upon a user grasping the lead flap of a bottommost towel in the stack of towels and withdrawing the towel from a dispenser, the lead flap of the next or adjacent towel in the stack is automatically pulled through the dispensing slot or opening of the dispenser in readiness for further dispensing. Frictional engagement between the trailing flap of one towel and the lead flap of the adjacent towel ensures that the lead flap is pulled through the dispenser slot.
The invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the figures.